Sen. Cory Booker Says Legal Gambling Can Reduce Violence & Sex Trafficking

Legalized sports betting isn't just a win for degenerate gamblers ... it could also have a real impact in reducing violent crimes and sex trafficking ... so says Senator Cory Booker.

The NJ politician is clearly fired up about the new Supreme Court ruling that essentially allows states to legalize sports betting ... a cause Booker has been championing for years.

Booker tells TMZ Sports ... people have been betting on sports illegally for decades -- and illegal sports gambling is often tied to violent crime and sex trafficking.

So, legalizing it will allow the states to regulate sports betting ... which, in turn, could have a real impact in reducing crime connected to illegal gambling rings.

Booker also says he's pumped about all the tax revenue legal sports betting will generate -- since experts estimate people have been illegally betting hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars a year.